True North

One of the constitutional amendment questions that made it onto the Minnesota ballot would raise the state's sales tax, with the additional funds being dedicated the outdoors and the arts. Here's the specifics to the bill:

The Legislature passed a bill early in the session calling for a constitutional amendment ballot vote this fall on spending for wildlife, clean water and the arts. If the amendment passes, 3/8 of 1 percent would be added to the state sales tax. One-third would go to wildlife habitat, another third to clean water and another third to parks, trails and arts.

To their credit, the St. Cloud Times Editorial Board calls it for what it is:

We also are disappointed (but not surprised) legislators approved asking voters this fall to decide whether to raise the state sales tax and use the increase to provide dedicated funding for the outdoors and arts. Legislators are elected to make choices about how to spend public money. This amendment lets them off the hook and in the long run limits the state's fiscal flexibility.

EXACTLY!!! Thank you, St. Cloud Times. Why elect legislators who want the Constitution to make all the decisions? This principle was at work last year when the DFL wanted inflation factored into budget forecasts. That's why Gov. Pawlenty vetoed that bill. Opponents of the DFL legislation argued that it set things up so that once something was appropriated, it was forever justified as an expenditure. Toughtful people simple said "No way."

If legislators want budgeting by constitutional amendment, then we might as well do away with the legislature. At minimum, we should shrink it to a unicameral legislature.

Frankly, this amendment will be defeated and it won't even be close. Don't be surprised if it loses 65-35 or worse. While outdoorsmen will like the concept, I don't think they'll like the sales tax increase portion of it. This would've had a shot at passing if they'd kept the sales tax set but with a portion of those revenues going to the outdoors.

The other thing that will doom this is dedicated funding to the arts. I don't think there's a great hunger out there to improve funding for the arts, at least not outside the Twin Cities. Whatever hunger there is for that funding is offset by the disgust with tax increases.

Right now, tax increases rank as low in popularity as $4 a gallon gas. BTW, that's the headwind that DFL freshmen will be running into this election. Don't expect that to be popular with voters getting crunched with higher taxes and high gas prices.

Comments welcome at LFR.